a great fear of shallow living
by snogfairy
Summary: Magical stories had always gripped and entranced her. And now they were becoming a reality she lived in, and it excited and frightened her in equal parts. Would she be the hero or an unfortunate fool? [NaLu - Pirate/Mermaid AU]
1. Chapter 1

This is the longest oneshot I have ever written, and for that reason I will post it on here in 5 separate parts. Since it's already done, **you'll get an update every two days.**

I really appreciate every single review I get; they never fail to make my day! **So please, please share your thoughts with me!** I really appreciate it so much.

* * *

 _A GREAT FEAR OF SHALLOW LIVING_

 _(pirate/mermaid AU)_

* * *

 **"I must be a mermaid. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living." - Anaïs Nin**

* * *

 _;new moon_

There had been a time when her mother had spilled a cup of marbles onto her desk, laughing at her own misfortune. Lucy had marvelled at the little balls as they rolled and bounced and clicked across the wood and then the tiles, at the way they glinted and sparkled in the light, each alike at first glance. But inside, every single one had their unique structure, and Lucy had held them all curiously against the receding light as she helped her mother to pick them up.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" her mother had said with a smile, "Like the stars."

It was the only vivid memory Lucy had of her, but it was one she treasured.

The breeze picked up ever so slightly, a change most would barely notice. But any seafaring adventurer soon learned to pick up every small change in the weather.

Above her, the stars shone brightly. Hundreds, thousands, millions of them. A million marbles in black velvet, like the folds of her mother's dress, spilling into the sky forever and ever.

There was no moon, not tonight. Lucy had always wondered if the lack of a moon should make her feel hopeless or hopeful. With each passing cycle she settled on a new sentiment, but every month she was sure to be found on deck, no matter the ship she found herself on.

Without the overbearing light of the moon, the stars held their utmost power and the sky appeared the same in every direction as it stretched out above her. Sometimes she would turn as she stared up, her feet guiding her blindly as she spun in slow circles until her neck ached and her vision blurred.

She'd heard there was no place on earth which allowed you to see as many stars as when you were floating on the vast sea, miles and miles away from any coast or compact soil the landsmen preferred. But then again, they were only stories; Lucy herself had never been inland far enough to discover proof of this, and when she had been, as a young child, dark rooms and billowing curtains only let her catch glimpses of the stars. Even then, she had called them her companions.

Now it felt like she was eternally seaborne.

The stillness around her was almost eerie, as if the sea and the waves themselves held their breath to marvel at the dark night sky.

Lucy pulled herself out of her reverie, making her way towards the railing to her left. The boards creaked beneath her sturdy boots, the gentle swaying of the ship as familiar to her as breathing. The wood of the railing felt smooth beneath her fingertips as she let them slide across the surface, only stopping when she arrived at a rough patch, lest she catch a splinter.

When her mother had died, her father had taken to the sea. And Lucy along with him.

It was the single good thing he had done for her in all her time of grief; maybe her whole life. She had not seen him in years, but if she ever were to meet him again, this would be what she would thank him for.

And then, he could go to hell.

Lucy exhaled deeply, tasting the same salt on her tongue that she could smell in the air. Here, she was truly free.

Hell, if you couldn't grasp freedom as the captain of a pirate ship, then Lucy was not quite sure where it was hiding. She had found it, had she not?

And yet, something was still missing. She was not quite sure what it was.

A new adventure, perhaps.

The sound of waves splashing against the belly of the ship soothed her - until she remembered there had been no waves a moment ago, and the breeze was blowing as softly as it had all evening.

Curiously, she glanced downwards. The waters were dark, but she thought she saw something glistening beneath the surface, just for a moment. Something rather big. Maybe some dolphins had decided to join her. Or a lone shark.

It didn't much matter; she was safe up here.

Even if she suddenly felt like she was being watched.

Small ripples danced on the water's surface where it had been disturbed, strong enough for Lucy to notice in the dark. She leaned a little further over the railing, squinting in an attempt to catch the animal below.

Her fingers curled around the single marble deep in her pocket: the only relict of her mother's collection. This one had always been her favourite; like a soft pink flame entrapped in translucent glass forever. Everytime she touched it, she felt safe and protected.

"Careful, or you'll fall overboard."

The voice startled Lucy so much that she did indeed almost fall victim to exactly the danger she had so thoughtfully been warned of. She spun around, one hand on the hilt of her sword, but found the deck as empty as it had been when she had commenced her vigil.

"What the hell…" she muttered to herself, slowly relaxing. "Holy stars! I don't wanna feed the fish tonight."

But she had not imagined the voice. It absolutely had been there. Old ghost tales pushed to the forefront of her mind, and she shivered. A benevolent ghost, though. Had it not warned her of the danger lurking in the water?

"The fish are fine. I could do with some midnight snack though," the voice grunted, draining Lucy of all colour. Slowly, she turned back to face the ocean, heart beating up to her throat.

No doubt. The voice had come from below.

For a long moment she wondered if she could not quite trust her eyes in the dark of night, with the lack of moonlight and the soft breaking of the waves against her ship whispering to her deceptively.

When she could no longer deny that her eyes and ears were not deceiving her, it took the pirate captain a moment to gather her words.

"I thought mermaids were women," Lucy finally said, forcing a small, nervous grin onto her face to overplay the shock that reached all the way to her bones, "And not pink."

This statement elicited a large grin from the… thing in the water.

Its teeth were sharp. Only the head and shoulders were above sea level, the rest of the creature concealed in darkness. But a large tail moved like a snake just beneath the surface, breaking through every now and then.

Lucy held her breath, waiting for it to speak again. Or for her to wake up.

But reality did not offer her such a cheap escape.

"I ain't pink, I'm _salmon_ ," the… mermaid called up to her, apparently rather amused by its own joke, because it followed the words with a dry laugh. "Get it, because I'm a fucking fish."

Lucy didn't quite feel like laughing. And yet a part of her was amused despite herself.

She wondered if this was the thrall of the mermaids.

Legends spoke of women luring men into the sea, of hypnotizing them with beauty and song until they were enthralled beyond sanity, willingly following them down, down, down...

Apprehension settled in Lucy's stomach, and she took a step backwards.

Who was to say men could not pose the same threat?

From the safety of her ship, she let her gaze roam across the male mermaid carefully. As if sensing her gaze, he floated onto his back, revealing his entire upper body to her curious eyes.

Lucy swallowed. It was indeed a body made for temptation.

His wet skin glistened as he drifted into reach of one of the torches on deck, his defined muscles contracting with each movement of his hips. Her gaze lingered on the part of his body where skin turned scale, a slow, gradual change as one being morphed into another. His eyes were dark, fixated on her with a knowing smile adorning his pretty face.

Of course, she was not weak enough to fall for such a trap.

"So will you attempt to bewitch me?" she asked, part of her curious. "Do you sing?"

"You know, I'd even fucking sing for you if you could spare a piece of nice, juicy meat." He watched her recoil, and huffed a laugh. "Not _you_. I was thinking along the lines of… bacon. Raw fish for breakfast, lunch and supper isn't exactly the food of the gods."

"Bacon," she echoed in disbelief. "This is the most ridiculous dream."

A rude, swearing mermaid with a bacon craving.

"Oh, I wish it were a dream."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, cocking her head. But the mermaid just shrugged.

"You know," she continued, placing a finger on her lips, "I might be able to provide you a supper. We hauled big on our last plunder."

His eyes lit up, hands tapping against the wet wood of the boat as he swam closer, greed obvious on his face at the mention of food.

"It comes with a price though," she told him with a cold smile that turned to a grin when he grimaced. "What did you expect? I'm a pirate."

"Speaking of," he said with a sudden air of nonchalance, "You didn't happen to see a ship by the name of Fairy Tail sail by anytime?"

At last, it was Lucy's turn to laugh. "Fairy Tail? Please. That's a legend."

The man in the water looked at her with an unreadable expression, but chose to let the topic slide.

"Well, then, do you have any food? I don't wanna waste my time."

"All food comes with a price," Lucy chided, wagging a finger at him. He could be rude all he wanted, she would always get what she desired. She hadn't made it to pirate captain for nothing. "I have an offer to make you."

"An offer?"

"How does regular food sound to you?" She didn't wait for an answer, because his stomach growled all the way up to her. "If you scout for me, on and under water, I will make sure you won't go hungry for a long time. Nobody has to know. It can be between the two of us; a secret contract."

"You think like a pirate for sure," he grunted, giving her a closer look. His eyes swept across her pretty face and dainty hands, but he kept his thoughts to himself. "What do you want me to look out for underwater, anyways?"

"Treasure. Sunken ships with valuable goods…" Her voice turned dreamy as she went on in detail about what was to be found in various shipwrecks, and the mermaid listened with an amused half-smirk.

"Sounds like you wanna go down there yourself, aye?" he stated, and she flashed him a dark grin.

"I won't need to. I have you now… right?"

The mermaid dabbled and splashed for a few good moments in the water beneath her, sinking out of her sight before reappearing a few feet elsewhere. Only his eyes were visible as he looked up at her, partially concealed by strands of his wet hair.

Lucy waited, trying not to give away her impatience.

"What's your name?" he asked her finally.

"They call me Lucky Lucy on here," she told him, leaning over the railing a little further in a way that would draw the gaze of most men from her face and further downwards, "But Lucy will do, just for you."

She winked at him, wondering if it was possible to turn the stakes, and have a human seduce a mermaid.

But he showed no reaction, just blankly stared at her generous cleavage for a moment before looking away and yawning. Lucy felt the sudden desire to catch him and let him flounder in her net until dawn.

He flicked his tongue. "I'm Natsu," he said, "Now what about the food?"

* * *

 _Thankyou for reading! I hope you enjoyed the beginning of this little adventure! B) If you did, I'd love to hear your thoughts!_


	2. Chapter 2

_;quarter moon_

Lucy watched her steps carefully as she snuck out of her cabin and ascended the creaky steps that led her on deck. Parts of her dinner were concealed in her robes, and she prayed nothing would fall out as she approached the man standing guard for the night.

"Take a break if you wish, mate," she told him as he greeted her with a nod, "I do not feel like sleeping tonight."

"Aye, Captain," the man obliged, heeding the command gladly despite wondering why the captain would so often relieve them off their night shift duties. Insomnia, he supposed. Not like he cared much.

He respected their captain because she was smart and had brought them riches beyond anything they had ever achieved since she had been brought on board, but it was a sentiment tinged with greed more than genuine admiration or friendship.

And so he left without another thought, leaving Lucky Lucy standing alone on deck in the dark of night.

She remained quiet for a long time after he had left, scanning the dark waters.

Lucy, too, was greedy. Greedy for money and fame like any true pirate (for this was what she was, now), but most of all her greed was more humble: what she craved above everything was freedom, and adventure.

She had come closer and closer to it through the years, but it was still out just of arm's reach even now. Sighing, she began neatly setting her food scraps onto the railing.

"Natsu," she whispered, "Are you there?"

It remained quiet, but somehow the feeling of being watched creeped into her bones, a sense that rarely proved wrong. Squinting, Lucy concentrated on the crush of the waves against the ship and the serene whisper of the breeze.

The winds had picked up ever so slightly throughout the evening, but remained constant for now. The water's surface was constantly stirred, small ripples dancing across it and making it nearly impossible to spy anything moving beneath the surface.

This was the longest time she had ever waited for Natsu, and she furrowed her brows. He was usually not one to pass up on his food ration.

And then it happened all at once.

Instinctively, Lucy moved backwards just in time to avoid the thin ends of a thick fin gracing her face. Her fast reaction did not save her, however, from the gush of water that hit her face and soaked her clothes. She gasped, spluttering as she tried to calm down her racing heart.

And then she gasped again when she realized the food was gone. Swiped into the ocean, all of it. It was only then that Lucy's mind sprung back into action and put two and two together.

She clashed with the railing, her hands gripping it forcefully as she bent her upper body far over the ledge to glare downwards. All she saw was a mess of salmon curls. All she hard was a cackle followed by loud eating sounds.

"I gotcha good," Natsu informed her between munching on various foods at once, "Shoulda seen your face."

Then he looked up, a bone peaking out from between sharp teeth, and his lips stretched into a mischievous grin.

"This one's even better," he said in the face of her death glare, but insitinctively backed up a little despite the fact that she could impossibly reach him. "You can be scary though. Sometimes."

Lucy laughed, but it was a deadly laugh.

"Be glad I can't get my fingers on you," she hissed. But there was no true malice in her voice. Their little late nights meet-ups had quickly turned into something she rather enjoyed.

Here she was just Lucy, without obligations and masks and fears. She could have some innocent fun and engaging conversation, and let her guard down just a little bit.

Well, if she wasn't being hit in the face by a fin.

The fact that mermaids really existed was knowledge that thrilled her. It made her wonder what else was out there. How many wonders she had yet to see.

Magical stories had always gripped and entranced her. And now they were becoming a reality she lived in, and it excited and frightened her in equal parts.

Would she be the hero or an unfortunate fool?

"Weird Luigi," Natsu called, "You're not really upset, are you?"

Lucy laughed. Weird Luigi, though hard to get used to and certainly not her favourite, was a moniker she would pick over Lucky Lucy any day.

And yet the latter was what she had become known for.

"How many times do I have to tell you, that's _not_ my name," she called back in exasperation.

Another chuckle reached her ears. It seemed that he was done with his little feast, though she wondered how he could truly enjoy the food if it turned all soggy. Then again, she supposed, he never ate it any other way.

She wondered, though, why he had such a craving for human food and disdained fish when it should be his natural food source.

"How come you like our food?" she asked then, wording her questions out loud. She pulled her coat tighter around herself, shutting out the cooling wind.

Natsu down in the black waters did not feel much of them save for his exposed head, but barely seemed to notice the change in temperature as late evening turned to night.

Suddenly she wondered what his body would feel like to the touch. Would it be cold as the water? If she traced her hand along his skin and to his scales, what would the transition feel like beneath her fingertips?

"Well," Natsu drawled, and then paused to ponder whatever he was going to tell her next. After a moment's consideration, he flicked his tongue and looked up and into her eyes.

The colour of his eyes was another thing she found herself curious about: were they really as pitchblack as they appeared to be, or was it the distance and lack of light that concealed his true colours?

"I wasn't always a mermaid, you know," he said then and wiped all other thoughts clean out of her mind. "I was human once."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked incredulously. "But that- that can't be!"

"Of course it can," he responded dryly. "Look at me."

"But…" Lucy started, slowly processing what she had been told. And suddenly a million possibilities sprouted in her mind, a million stories, and the urge to find out more about his life overcame her like a breaking wave. "Please, will you tell me your story?"

"What do you wanna know?"

"Everything. Tell me everything."

Natsu chuckled. She knew her face must look like that of a child awaiting their most beloved bedtime story full of adventure and impossibility.

"I was a pirate." He cast her a glance as her mouth dropped open, then dragged his eyes along her face and to her hands as if scrutinizing her appearance. "I grew up one, though. It's all I ever was."

The comment made her wonder if he knew more about her than she had told, but her curiosity for him made her keep her course.

"Is that why you asked me about that infamous ship when we met? Fairy Tail?"

"You remember, huh?" he said, almost appraisingly.

"I've always liked the stories," she admitted. "I was hoping they were real."

Her words made him grin. "Aye, I was part of the Fairy Tail crew. We were sailing the seas and hoarding riches and rum, fighting and living freely, all that - and I was looking for a ship called Atlas Flame."

"You're full of legends, aren't you?" Lucy said, lips cracking into a smile, "Maybe you are spinning all those tales to tempt me, after all. You're a trickster mermaid."

"My father," he said with pride, "is The Dragon. And he's very real, thank you."

"The Dragon was known as the King of Pirates. You can't ask me to believe you."

But one glance into his eyes told her he was asking exactly that.

And strangely enough, she did.

"He _is_ the King of Pirates. He's still out there, somewhere."

"Natsu… no one has seen or heard of this ship in ages."

"You've never seen or heard of Fairy Tail either, have you?" he challenged, eyes blazing dangerously. "It doesn't mean anything."

She didn't press on further. But the pain in his eyes was one she was familiar with. That of a child missing their parent.

"So then… how did you come to be… what you are? What happened?"

"A mermaid happened," he grunted. He flicked his tail, bringing the fin down on the water's surface to produce an angry _splash_.

"So you… got turned into a mermaid by a mermaid?" she asked as she tried to make sense of his words, "So… they don't kill you. They turn you into one of them."

"Not always, anyways. Guess I was lucky," he said darkly. "-if you can call an eternal existence as a half-fish _lucky_."

"Is there no way to reverse it?" she asked almost desperately, as if it was her who was cursed to live in the seas forever. His pain hurt her, too.

"Do you think I'd be here if I knew?" he shot back dryly, "I have to find my ship; that's all I care about for now. Maybe Levy would find a way… She knows a lot."

"How did she get you? The mermaid? Was it a woman?"

He nodded. "Well, we noticed a mermaid was following us, but we never thought much of it, even if she was persistent. She was down in the water, after all. But one night, when I was a little drunk, I was sitting on deck alone at night, just… thinking, I guess. And she appeared and talked to me."

She had a feeling Natsu was not one to talk about his feelings freely. He had to miss his father more than he let on. There was more to him than she had given him credit for in the short time she had come to know him better.

"Anyways, that mermaid was crazy. I asked her if she knew anything about my father," he said, and shrugged, "And she said yes, but she'd only tell me if I came down to her."

Lucy remained silent, waiting for him to go on. But he didn't, just pouted as he relived the memory.

"Wait. And you… just did?" she asked in disbelief. When he nodded sheepishly, she resisted the urge to slap a hand to her forehead. "By Aquarius, that's… that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of."

"I've been told before that I don't think enough before I act," he admitted grumpily, and Lucy was unable to hold back a snort.

"That is an understatement."

"She said something about me being a love rival too, but I didn't really get it." He shrugged again. "I'm not into fish."

"I heard mermaids can be very jealous, and possessive," she mused, then arched an eyebrow when she remembered she had one in front of her, "Is that true?"

"Dunno about jealousy, but I guess I _do_ tend to hoard things…. possibly," he admitted.

"Hoard?" Lucy asked with new, barely contained curiosity, "Like… treasure?"

Natsu's eyebrows rose in what she thought to be amusement.

"Yeah," he agreed with a grin. "Like treasure."

Lucy returned the grin. "You know…" she said, resting her elbows on the railing and leaning forward like a fellow conspirator as she batted her eyelashes. "You're my friend, right?"

"Aye," he replied innocently, floating onto his back to look at the stars overhead. "Mermaids have a good sense of direction. There's a cave close to an island, where I hoard all the big treasure I find. When I'm back with my friends, I'll lead them there."

"Which island?"

He opened his mouth again, and Lucy almost fell over the railing in her eagerness, but then he drew his eyes from the sky and glanced at her knowingly. In that moment she knew he had seen right through her. She watched his lips curl into an evil grin.

"You didn't really think I was gonna tell you where, did you?" He threw his head back as he laughed quietly. Lucy scowled. "Really, I'm not _stupid_."

"You don't trust me at all, do you?"

"I told you about the cave, didn't I? And myself."

"Fair enough," she agreed with a reconciliating smile, and then winked. "It only makes sense that you think like a true pirate too."

They laughed together then.

"Well… guess I'd better take off, huh," he said after a moment of comfortable silence, and scratched his head. "Thanks for the meal."

"Yeah", she agreed reluctantly. It was late, and life on sea demanded a tight schedule. You rose with the sun and used every hour of daylight until you could no longer sail on without potential dangers awaiting. Sleep was to be treasured, every minute of it, even after rum-induced nights and awaiting headaches.

Still, she did not want to see him go.

Natsu really was her friend, she realized. Possibly her only one.

His tales of treasure and of his adventures sounded too good to be true beyond a great dream, and yet Lucy found herself wishing for a life exactly like the one he had described. After so many years at sea, and the cold and harsh reality of it all, Lucy had stopped believing the world she had dreamed up could be a real one.

But now...

A strange sense of longing settled in her chest as she watched him disappear into the depths.

* * *

 _And here we go with Part 2._

 _Thankyou for the lovely reviews last time!_

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	3. Chapter 3

_;full moon_

"I wish I could meet them," Lucy sighed, leaning her head back against the railing.

She was sitting between the big steering wheel and the stern of the ship, peering up at the stars as Natsu told her one of his many tales of Fairy Tail.

His voice had become as soothing to Lucy as the light of her old companions above her, and it had been many times she had sat like this, drifting off into a light sleep. When she awoke, Natsu was usually gone.

Her body would ache after sitting in the same position for too long, but she never cared.

"You awake?" Natsu asked, and she hummed in response.

"Hey, I wondered…" he began then, "I always tell you all those stories, and I thought maybe you could tell me one too?"

"Me?" Lucy asked, surprised. She blinked at the sky before moving her head and casting her gaze to the ground. "You want me to tell you a story?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, a hopeful tone to his voice.

Pondering this, Lucy brought her gaze back up to the stars. It had been so long since she had had the opportunity to talk about her own life to anyone that now it felt almost like it was an entirely different life altogether, long gone and disconnected from the one she was living now.

But of course, that was a silly notion. Had not everything that had happened in her life, all the threads that had been spun for her by a multitude of invisible, uncontrollable hands, led her here?

Lucy sighed. It had been too many times she'd felt like a puppet rather than her own person.

"Once upon a time," she began with a sad smile, "there was a little girl. She was quite happy, living in a big house with her parents. She loved her mother above everything, even when she got sick. But the little girl had to learn too soon that love is not always enough to save someone, and that loss can change people in unexpected ways. Most of all, it changed her father."

"He became distant and cold, and soon sold the house where the little girl had spent her happy childhood. Her father was a merchant, and so, unresting and absorbed in his work as he had become, he took to the sea. And he took the girl with him."

Taking a breath for pause, Lucy inhaled the salty air, taking in the crashing of the waves against the ship. These sounds and smells had become her world from a young age.

"The little girl was thrilled at first. She had always read stories about adventure, about pirates and treasure and heroes that sailed the seas, and could not wait to start her own adventure alongside her father. She hoped they would become closer again, thought she would be the captain's best and most trusted advisor. But of course, that was not the way it happened. The wild child had to become a lady."

"And so she received education under deck, and was forbidden to learn about the workings of the ship apart from dry theory, could not sail or sit and laugh with the crew. A few, like the fat little cook who run the kitchen, or the elderly man with the wooden leg, became her friends, and would sometimes teach her things in secret. But still, as the girl turned into a woman, she felt trapped above all else."

"All she wanted was to be truly free. And she realized she would never be on this ship. Not under the control of her father. But she couldn't run away."

Lucy balled her hands into fists. Scraping the soles of her boots along the boards beneath her, she continued her tale.

"And then, one day… they were attacked. The pirate ship came out of nowhere, and a fight broke loose and spread through the whole ship. The girl hid in her chamber, but she was clever enough to hide a knife in her dress. It would save her life - and be her doom. When one of the pirates made it into her cabin, she overwhelmed him and held the knife to his throat. But she wouldn't kill the pirate… not only because she was innocent, but because in that moment, she formed a plan. This was her one chance to get off this ship, and onto another. Away from everything she had come to despise."

"You went with them?" Natsu asked intently, and Lucy quirked a nostalgic smile, not at all surprised he had caught on.

"Yeah. I went with them."

He did not ask any further question, or say a single word, so she took it as her cue to finish her story.

"The pirate was charming, and promised me all I had dreamed of. Now I didn't necessarily believe every word he said, but I was so desperate for my freedom - and foolish enough to think I could handle myself - that I accepted his offer. And so I fled with them and the little bounty they managed to capture before they were fended off. But of course… it was all a lie. I was never meant to become a pirate. Just a slave."

"They brought me, along with some others, to the next market where we were sold off like livestock. Luckily, I still had my wits if nothing else, and managed to get sold to exactly who I wanted to be sold to. And that is how I came onto this ship, where I am now. These people, they were easily manipulated, and it did not take long until I turned from slave to crew member thanks to my skill and strategical thinking. I made them richer than they had ever been. So then, when the captain died in battle, I saw my chance and took control of this bunch of silly fools."

"It's not the freedom I wanted, not quite…" She paused. "But hey, look at me, I'm a pirate captain now."

Lucy laughed without much humour, her lips stretching into a tired smile. She blinked repeatedly, until the stars above turned less blurry and she could behold them in all their crisp, sparkling beauty again. Sniffing, she shook her head and proceeded to hoist herself back up.

She felt suddenly nervous about facing Natsu, about looking into his dark eyes, afraid she would not see their usual warmth, afraid of what might change in his gaze now that she had revealed her past to him.

But when she forced herself to turn and look downwards, she was met with a warm smile.

"Wow, you're really amazing, Lucy!"

His words broke and mended something inside her chest, and the feeling that washed through her hurt in a good way. "You think so?" she whispered, smiling through the tears welling up in her eyes.

"I do," he reassured enthusiastically, "You'd fit right in with us! Weird Luigi, the pirate."

She laughed, catching the twinkle in his eyes. He was trying to cheer her up, and it worked in the best of ways. If she had been able to hug him right this instant, she would have done so without hesitation.

The urge to touch him was now stronger than ever, to simply feel his skin against her body.

His lips…

Lucy startled, cheeks reddening as she caught herself thinking such frivolous thoughts. And yet the image had been so vivid in her mind, she wished it to be real.

Natsu was still smiling at her, and she returned his smile with a bright one of her own.

It was then that an idea flashed through her mind.

"Hey Natsu," she asked innocently, "Can you come over here?"

"Huh," he huffed, but followed her along the ship as she crossed from one side to the other, grinning down at him when she had him where she wanted him to be.

"Stay there," she commanded, and he crossed his arms as he drifted to his favoured position on his back, calmly floating in the water.

Lucy busied herself with tugging at ropes and arranging them in a fashion that would enable her to lighten the weight of what she was about to fish for herself.

"I know what you're doing, by the way," he drawled, and Lucy grinned.

"Well, you're still where you are, aren't you?"

He didn't answer, and Lucy, content with her creation, began to hoist up the fishing net.

It proved hard labour even with the help of physics, but when she finally saw his hair peek over the edge of the railing, she worked to secure the main rope around the mast with the last of her strength. The muscles in her arms and back protested angrily, but she barely felt anything except elation.

She'd done it.

When she turned back, Natsu had his crossed arms resting over the railing, grinning at her as he raised his eyebrows. It took some will to not race over to him and smother him in an embrace.

Instead, she approached cautiously.

In the light of the torches, and finally up close, this was her first chance to properly take in his appearance, and she savoured every second.

His face retained a boyish charm, but was sharp and defined. A number of scars decorated his skin, from his face to his broad chest and the side of his hips, some smaller, some large and eye-catching. Water dripped off him, and she watched his chest rise and fall rhythmically.

His fin peeked over the edge, a light pink that was almost translucent at the very tips. And then his entire tail came into view, rows upon rows of thick, deep pink scales that glistened in the light. It was a large tail, she realized. Of course she had known it had to be big, but now she _knew_ , now she really saw, and was rather fascinated. It was long too, and Lucy could only imagine the strength residing in it. It was beautiful, really.

When the light hit the thin film of water covering him, his scales glistened like pearls.

They reminded her of her marbles, and of the stars, and she could have stared forever.

Instead, she brought her gaze back up to his face.

Lucy beamed at him, then, and he beamed right back, his whole face lighting up in almost childlike joy. She'd never seen a smile quite like his.

And the more they beamed, the more their expressions slowly changed.

Beams turned to grins, and then to smiles, and fondness and gratitude mixed with the joy in their eyes.

They were close now, only inches apart, and Lucy's heart was beating as if it wanted to jump out of her chest.

And then, carefully, she graced her fingertips across the scar on his cheek. His skin was not cold as she had thought, but warm to the touch. Almost hot.

And before she could think better of it, she put her wishful thinking into action.

Holding onto his face with both her hands, she leaned in to slant her lips over his.

Natsu stiffened in surprise, and then relaxed.

The shock of what she had done would have been enough for her to pull back, if he had not started to reciprocate in that very instant.

His large hand settled on the back of her head, and he pulled her across the railing and against his chest with such vigour that Lucy almost lifted off the ground. But she remained on the floor with the tips of her boots, steadying herself on the railing with one hand.

Mermaids were greedy, after all. But pirates were in no way inferior when it came to this particular sentiment.

Lucy grinned against his mouth when they broke apart for breath, their lips brushing shortly before Natsu claimed her mouth once more. He chuckled, a sound that vibrated in his chest and travelled into his lips. Trailing his tongue along her bottom lip, he tilted her head and gently bit down. Her gasp was what he had waited for, it seemed, because his scorching tongue found hers in an instant.

Lucy felt her entire body heat up with desire, kissing him back hungrily until she thought her lungs might burst.

They broke apart panting, resting their foreheads against each other.

It was in this moment Lucy realized a mermaid's allure was no myth.

She was entirely under his spell.

* * *

 _Ohoho, I hope you enjoyed this one as much as I did!_

 _GUYSS YOU GOTTA CHECK OUT THE AMAZING DOODLES MY FRIEND TAY DID FOR THIS FIC! HER TUMBLR IS **PHANTOMBONES**! :3_

 _Thankyou for the lovely reviews! :3_

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	4. Chapter 4

_;waning crescent_

It was quiet in her cabin.

Lucy stared up at the ceiling as she lay in her berth, the soft rocking of the ship not enough to lull her to sleep. The constant dampness beneath deck turned uncomfortable at night, cooling her body and making her clothes cling to her skin uncomfortably.

It smelled stuffy, moldy.

It was times like these she wished she could get off the ship, no matter how or where.

But lately, this was not the only reason. Her crew was losing its faith in her.

They were growing suspicious. She could see it in the way they looked at her, the way they received orders. It had been harder to maintain peace and order.

Her nightly ventures on deck had them doubting her.

She only hoped they were suspecting her of insomnia and a weak mental state, and not of talking to a mermaid.

Or maybe she had just gone insane.

Lucy huffed, sitting up and swinging her legs over the ledge.

One of the many advantages of being a captain instead of a normal crew member, or even a slave, was that she had a chamber all to herself, with a (considering the circumstances, comfortable) berth and even a desk.

She lit the oil lamp on her bedside table, waiting until the little flame cast large, dancing shadows on the walls.

Then she stood up.

Wearing her coat over her sleeping attire, she ventured out onto deck. It was later than usual, and she had no food with her today. She hadn't even talked to Natsu about meeting up tonight; their next 'scheduled meeting' was supposed to be tomorrow.

Still, she irrationally hoped to see him.

Glancing up at the stars, Lucy took a deep breath.

They had been blessed by the gods in the last weeks, it seemed, because the weather remained tranquil. It was almost eerily quiet on deck.

Unconsciously, her fingers closed around the small pink marble in her coat jacket.

As she walked to the nose of the ship, she let it roll in between her fingers and then rested it in her palm until it no longer felt cold. The water was calm here, a little more shallow as it was closer to the bay of an island, but tomorrow they would set sail onto the open sea once more.

Even if she was not expecting Natsu, she knew he had to be near.

He was following them around, after all, and could never lose sight of them entirely.

Though she wondered how much his mermaid senses would help him find her long after a human could not.

Lucy wondered many things about him, and hundreds of new questions trickled into her mind each day anew. Some he had answered, some she had not dared ask.

"Natsu," she whispered, but the surface remained calm and unbroken.

With a sigh, she crossed her forearms over the railing and sank her head down onto them, continuing to stare at the soft waves swaying the ship up and down almost imperceptibly.

She wished she could just jump down and look for Natsu beneath the surface.

But the water had become too cool this time of the year to even dare imagine a midnight plunge. It was insane enough on any given day.

Lucy sighed.

It was in that moment, for the very first time, that a thought struck her.

An impossible, ridiculous thought, but one that made her heart beat in excitement.

She had dreamed of Fairy Tail even before she had met Natsu, but his stories had made it come to life. The desire to share this life with him was nearly overwhelming, the mere idea spreading like warm wax through every fiber of her being.

What if she…

No, it was ridiculous.

Shaking her head slightly from one side to the other, she concentrated back on reality. This was the time of day she treasured most, after all.

Even without Natsu to keep her company.

But it was always more fun if they were together.

Every night, she asked him a multitude of questions, but it seemed that every answer only produced even more. Still, she soaked up every bit of information like a sponge.

She sighed again.

In the course of the next minutes she sighed so often she forgot to keep count.

It was right in the middle of one of those sighs, with her mouth wide open and eyes half closed, that she spotted movement beneath the water's surface. Just a quick, faint shimmer of scales before it disappeared again.

Her face had frozen in concentration, and now she slowly relaxed it before leaning over the railing a little further. Had it only been a fish?

But she saw it again, and even with little light she recognized the unique colour of Natsu's tail. A large smile spread across her face.

He must have noticed her there. Maybe heard her pining.

Was a mermaid's hearing exceptional? She assumed so. Another question to ask.

But he didn't come up. Was it just coincidence, or… was he trying to prank her again?

Lucy squinted, cautiously taking a step backwards to avoid any potential attacks.

They didn't come.

She wondered if he was playing with her. If that was the case...what was she supposed to do? It was her turn, she guessed.

Looking around, she searched for something small to toss into the water, but came up empty.

She hummed in thought, hands digging into her pockets.

The index finger of her right hand brushed against her marble, and Lucy froze.

Here was something small she could toss. But of all the treasure she owned, it was her most valuable possession.

Hesitantly, her fingers curled around it. The pad of her thumb stroked along the smooth stone lovingly.

He would bring it back to her, wouldn't he?

Maybe it was insane, but she trusted him enough to toss a tiny translucent marble into a vast ocean and believe he'd bring it back to her.

"Natsu," she whispered, and thought the tail beneath the surface twitched in anticipation. Taking a deep breath, she held the marble out in front of her, over the open water.

The little pink flame trapped inside appeared to be dancing in the flickering light of the oil lamp. Her heart was beating up to her throat, a nervous shiver travelling down her spine. She closed her eyes.

"Catch!"

And then she let go.

Natsu reacted with the speed of a starving snake as soon as the marble hit the water. When it disappeared beneath the surface and out of her sight, panic flared up in Lucy.

She stared at the water as if spellbound, but could not see what was happening beneath the surface. His tail had worked in a flash, but even that first movement had not stirred the water.

Only the ever-present rhythm of the waves moved it along.

Even though only a few seconds had passed, Lucy grew anxious. She would never forgive herself if the marble was gone.

So when the surface of the water finally broke to reveal a shock of pink hair and a marble raised like a trophy between a thumb and index finger, Lucy released an audible gasp.

Natsu threw his head back, and for a second she was scared he would roar in triumph, but he seemed to remember that he had to remain quiet just in time. He'd tossed his hair back with enough force that sprinkles of water reached her face, but this one time she did not mind.

He tossed the marble right back at her, and she caught it in a flurry.

"Throw it again!" he begged.

"No way!" she refused, clutching her beloved treasure to her chest. "I do not wish to challenge my luck twice in a day. Maybe I'll need it for another time."

"Luck?" He gasped, genuinely offended.

Despite her state, Lucy giggled.

"So… you won't throw it again?" He pouted, crossing his arms behind his head as he glared grumpily up at her.

"It was my mother' 's the only thing I have left of her."

Natsu's eyes grew large.

"How could you throw me such a precious thing?!" he demanded in shock, clearly distressed and almost as agitated as she had been seconds ago.

"Well, I guess that means I trust you."

The simple statement made it sound like so much less than it had meant to her, but it was the truth nonetheless. Lucy smiled, dropping the marble back into her pocket, safely tucked where it belonged.

Natsu didn't say anything, but looked very serious all of a sudden.

A moment of silence passed.

"Did you hear me?" she asked then, eager for answers now that he was here to answer her questions. "Is your hearing better than a human's?"

Natsu nodded with a proud grin, seemingly having forgotten his shock already. "Yeah. I can hear under water as you can above. It's all really clear. Your tragic sighing works better than any lonely siren's call."

Lucy took this in with an excited nod, ignoring his quip.

"There's some things I still don't understand," she said as she so often did, pursing her lips as she fixated him under an intense stare. "Can I ask you something?"

"Mhm?" He tilted his head to look up at her curiously, an amused smile on his lips in anticipation of whatever interrogation was to come - odd and bizarre as they so often were to him.

"I've been wondering…" She couldn't resist. He didn't have to know why she was asking, did he? It was all just fun and games. " _How_ do you turn into a mermaid? What did that mermaid do to you?"

Natsu averted his eyes, his carefree expression turning somber.

"It wasn't exactly fun…" he admitted hesitantly, and for a moment Lucy thought he might not continue. It looked like he was agonizing over it a fair bit.

Lucy was about to tell him it was alright not to answer, a tight knot forming in her stomach, when he spoke after all.

"She drowned me," he told her plainly, looking at the water that reached up to his chin.

All she could see was the top of his head, and Lucy was oddly relieved, because it meant he couldn't see the expression on her face. Her fingers instinctively closed around the marble in her pocket, clenching down until the nails dug into her skin so deeply they almost drew blood.

She didn't really know what to say.

She didn't really know what she had expected, either. Life was not a fairytale book.

What did you say to a person who had just told you they had been killed? To a pirate who had been taken by the very thing they cherished the most? The ocean was every seaman's biggest hope and fear; an eternal connection of love and hatred that would be severed only by death.

The ocean took what it desired. Unpredictably. Relentlessly. And always, always mercilessly.

Some said it was an honour; some a disgrace.

"Drowned…" she echoed quietly, not daring to imagine such a death. "That must have been… horrible."

She _wanted_ to say sorry, but felt the words would ring emptily.

He seemed glad she didn't. Instead, he laughed.

"It wasn't that bad in the end, I guess," he said, back to his normal self. "I don't remember all of it, either. I blacked out after a while…"

He paused. "And when I awoke… I was alone. At the bottom of the ocean."

Lucy couldn't help it now. The tears startled trickling, and she desperately hoped he wouldn't hear her trying to conceal her sniffing.

"Funny thing is, I still had my legs. And it took me a moment to realize I didn't need air." He laughed, then, shaking his head as if to rid himself off the memories. "The rest isn't pretty either, so I'll spare you the details. You said my tail was beautiful, but I don't think you'd like it all that much if I told you."

Unsettling images invaded her imagination, and she tried desperately not to picture the horrors her mind inevitably showed her.

"I don't think I should have asked," she finally said with a quiet, humourless laugh. "But… thank you for telling me. I'm sorry I made you."

He lifted his face, and the large grin she so loved felt like a dagger to her heart. And yet it still made her smile back, like it always did, even through her tears.

She wondered how Natsu could be so optimistic and happy even in the face of desperation.

It was something she admired and loved about him more than anything.

She had never felt as hopeful in her life as she had during those last weeks in his company. His love of life - it was contagious.

Everything about him was.

"Don't worry about it, Lucy!" he said with a cheerful smile, "I'm doing fine! I'll find Fairy Tail _and_ Atlas Flame sooner or later, you'll see!"

"I really hope you will," she answered with a warm smile.

"What treasure do you think we'll find!" he exclaimed, grinning at her deviously. Lucy choked on the stutter of her heart when he said 'we' ,knowing it for the wishful thinking it was, now. But she could impossibly refuse such enthusiasm.

And so, for the remainder of the late night she stayed with him under the starry sky, spinning fantastic stories of bright futures until the black night turned to a deep, velvety blue.

The world was entirely still when Lucy finally made it back to her cabin on silent feet.

So many tumultuous thoughts and feelings tried to exist in her head all at once, she felt it might burst. And yet at the same time, she felt strangely calm. A peculiar sort of melancholy had settled over her like a raincloud.

The vague, mad notion she'd kept carefully bottled away would have to catch dust.

It was not something she could possibly ask of him.

Now that she knew what had to be done… She could not ask him to kill her.

Hell, she didn't want to _die_. Even if it would not be a true death - she was scared, and would be lying if she said otherwise.

Not only for her sake, but for his too. Even if on an insane whim she dared to ask, he would surely refuse? No, it was impossible.

But long after she had returned to bed and extinguished her light, the idea and temptation of it remained, burrowing into her heart and whispering of possibilities unimagined.

Her dreams took her away into the eternal stillness of the ocean.

* * *

 _Only one more to go after this! Are you ready for it to end? Hopefully not, hehe. But there is nothing to be done! B)_

 _Thanks for the lovely reviews! Keep em coming. B)_

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	5. Chapter 5

_;new moon_

The sun was beginning to set. It would not give way to the moon tonight. Instead, a black night would await them.

Natsu curled his tail impatiently as he drifted through the water. Boredom had become his most prominent pastime during the day, between the times he could go and see her, when the world was asleep and darkness offered a welcome cover.

A swarm of small fish burst apart in a flutter as he swam right through their middle, not paying the multitude of shapes and colours any attention. He'd liked fish a lot more when he'd actually fished and grilled them, sharing the best bits with his oldest friend.

Now, he craved the food of the land more than he had ever imagined possible. But even more so, he craved Lucy's company. Another thing that he had never considered much of a possibility. The women in his life had always been comrades and strong allies, advisors and sisters. Not like Lucy wasn't all that - but she was more.

It was not something he had ever sought after. There were greater goals for him.

But it had happened before he'd realized, and now he found himself wanting to share all of his dreams with her.

The fact that it was an impossibility, that fate seemed to have different plans for their lives, was one he was aware of, but simply refused to accept, or give too much thought. He preferred to live in the moment and take everything life threw at him with a smile. Worrying had never been his strong suit.

Neither had patience.

With a powerful stroke of his fins, he hurled himself upwards. Halting right beneath the surface, he glanced at the invisible barrier between his two worlds.

The light shimmered and glinted and danced on the surface, but its warmth did not reach him. Extending his hand, he dipped his index finger into the air. He felt first wind, then cold, and then the sun's slow warmth registered amidst it all.

He missed the merciless burn of summer now that the seasons were changing, but every bit of sunshine he could soak up felt like a blessing. Growing up in Fiore, it was all he had known as a child.

How many times had he floated on top of the waves with the ocean stretching endlessly in every direction, just enjoying the feeling of the sun on his skin?

The only comparable feeling he had to the fire he loved but could not reach any longer were Lucy's touches. They made him feel like he was burning up from the inside.

It had only been one time, but that night they had been able to hold each other still warmed his very soul. He really had turned into one of those pining, love struck sirens the legends told about, had he not?

Maybe it really was a curse.

Maybe he should sing to her, after all.

The thought amused him. The light was fading now, and he decided it was late enough to at least swim in closer to the ship. A mermaid's sense of direction was impeccable, he had soon learned, and he could track down the ship even after it had left his line of sight. Not that it ever did, these days.

Lucy had been worried. And he wanted to keep a close eye on her, even if he knew that technically, there was nothing he could do to protect her. It infuriated him.

Under the cover of the large waves that had been accompanying them the last days, he lifted his head out into the open. There were a handful of people still on deck, and he watched the scene with sharp eyes. If Lucy was on deck, she wasn't in his line of sight at the moment.

They'd already cast anchor, and the strong chain worked hard to keep the ship in place, pulling taught and loosening with every strong wave that rolled across the ocean.

It reached deep into the black depths, where even Natsu's exceptional sight nearly failed him. Much further and it would no longer be able to reach any ground to sink into.

Once the group on deck finally retreated, Natsu swam closer. The giddy feeling of anticipation was familiar now, though he still liked to blame it on the food.

Diving beneath the ship and coming back up on the other side, he sought out Lucy's favoured spot in hopes she might already be there.

But it took almost another hour before she finally appeared.

And when she did, Natsu felt a heavy weight settling on his heart. She looked terrible.

Well - she didn't. She looked as beautiful as ever, with her hair tugged behind her fancy hat and in a low-cut blouse that left little to the imagination. But there were lines under her eyes, and her usual glow had faded considerably.

Her fingers drummed against the railing nervously as she looked out at the sea, not yet having spotted him.

It took him a moment to speak and make himself known. Anger flared up inside him, and he wished nothing more than to fight every last one of the crewmembers, to stomp into them the knowledge that you valued and treasured your companions above everything. And then he'd whisk her away, on Fairy Tail, and they'd sail together. That was where she belonged. Not here.

Releasing a strained breath, he tapped his fin against the side of the ship carefully.

The low noise was enough to capture her attention.

A smile spread across her troubled face, lighting up her eyes. This was the radiance he had missed. If only it were permanent.

"Hey," she said quietly, not bothering to pretend she was alright. He smiled back grimly.

"They making trouble again?" He scowled.

"Something's not right." The way she said it made an unpleasant shiver curl along his spine. Things hadn't been right before, but now the look on her face made him feel almost sick.

It was all his fault.

"It's my fault," he said out loud, the anger barely contained. Her eyes widened, and she was about to protest, no doubt - but he knew better. It was the truth.

"Natsu, you are the best thing that has happened to me in my life." Her eyes blazed, and the look she gave him was positively dangerous, as if she would not accept a word of defiance. Natsu swallowed back his response, but rubbed a hand along his head angrily.

"If it's not too much to ask…" she began a little hesitantly, "Could I pull you up again? I just... I want to see you again."

It sounded horribly final, as if she feared she might not have the chance in the future. Natsu's guts twisted. She was scared for her life. But she still was so strong.

"I'm all fired up," he told her, trying to force a grin onto his face that he didn't quite feel.

It took a little longer than last time, but soon enough he was out of the water, dangling in the air as he was lifted slowly. It was a foreign feeling, just as weird as the last time, even if it should not have been. He had spent the larger portion of his life on land, as a human, but now he felt like a fish on land.

When he was almost on eye-level with the railing, his ascent stopped. He reached up, fingers curling around wood, and pulled himself up a little to watch her secure the rope. Her chest was heaving, sweat rolling down her temples. Despite the dire situation, he couldn't help but grin at how cute she looked.

Lucy caught him staring, a small grin appearing on her lips.

She straightened, brushing the folds of her short skirt into place before walking over to him.

It was when she was halfway over that she stopped, suddenly.

Following her line of sight, Natsu caught a glimpse of what she, too, must have seen: the movement of a shadow. It was gone the next instant, but Lucy's eyes were wide with shock as they met his, her hand slowly moving to the sword at her hip.

She slightly shook her head, indicating him to stay still and not make a sound. He lowered himself back down, but not enough to disappear entirely. He needed to see what was going on.

"Is someone there?" she asked quietly, her tone demanding an answer, but barely able to hide her nervosity.

For a moment, it remained quiet. But Natsu's senses were on high alert now, and he could _feel_ they were not alone. His fears were confirmed when a figure stepped out from the shadows.

"Well look at that, she did all the work for us," a tall man laughed. Lucy's grip on the hilt of her sword tightened.

"What are you doing on deck?" she asked, and Natsu realized she was hoping the man had not spotted him, or the net. But he knew better, and surely, she did too.

It was more than likely that they'd been spying on her for quite some time, he realized.

And then, belatedly, he realized something else. The man was not alone. Of course not.

A shadow moved behind Lucy, and Natsu threw all caution to the wind.

"Lucy! Behind you!"

Without hesitation, Lucy spun around, dodging a man's attack just in time to draw her sword.

"Get that mermaid!" one of them called, and Natsu swore as more men ran out from under deck, armed and all too eager to fight. While he sat paralyzed, Lucy made a split second decision.

"What are you doing?!" he called as she started sprinting over to him, "Watch out! Don't come here!"

Ignoring him, she struggled against a woman who'd reached her, sending her off with a well-placed kick. She seemed to realize she couldn't get to him in time, locking eyes with him across what little distance separated them. She stood frozen, assessing the people around her. Everybody seemed to wait for someone to make the first move.

He watched a tear roll down her cheek as their eyes locked a second time, and when he saw the silent apology in hers he knew she was about to make a stupid choice.

Because of him.

He tried to get out of the net, but he knew the more he moved the more it would tangle. Lucy ran, swinging her sword to cut through the rope just in time. The last thing he saw was a large man tackling her to the ground, and then gravity pulled him down.

The net caught halfway down, a thin sliver of rope still connecting it to the mast. Natsu cried out as his fin tangled in the harsh material.

"Natsu, get away!" he heard Lucy scream before she was silenced and her screams muffled, and his heart skipped several beats. If they did anything to her…

Struggling, he managed to pull himself further up the net. It was irrationality that drove him on; even if he could make it back up there was no way he could do much for her in this form. But like hell he'd leave her alone!

The rope wouldn't hold. He knew this. He didn't care.

He pulled again, his fin halfway freed of the net, when a shadow leaned over the railing. It was the familiar click of a gun that pulled him back to reality, and instinctively, he let go as he pushed himself backwards with his tail.

But the net held steady, and Natsu yelped as it dug into his tail, dislocating several scales.

"Fuck!" he roared in fury.

He could not help Lucy if he was dead.

The gun was pointed right at him, almost close enough that he could stare down the barrel. And then a dagger dug into the man's shoulder, and he screamed in surprise. Natsu watched the bloody blade as it pulled back out and slammed onto the railing, right above what remained of the rope.

The shot echoed around him, and Natsu only registered the pain in his lower side when he connected with the water and sank into the safety of the waves. It took him too long to finally free himself of the net, his body protesting in pain that became more and more prominent as he moved.

He ignored it.

His mind was racing, the pain easily drowned out by worry. Blood coloured the water around him, but he barely noticed. More shots hit the water, but then he heard another man cursing and bellowing commands, and the shooting stopped.

 _"Get that bitch!"_

 _"We want it alive!"_

What was he supposed to do?! Why was he so fucking _useless_?

They wanted him. But even if he handed himself over, Lucy had nowhere to go. He was entirely powerless.

Diving back up, he tried to see what was going on on deck. No matter how strong Lucy was, she was overpowered by sheer numbers. Roaring out his anger, Natsu flung insults at the ship, diving back down whenever weapons were aimed at him.

Another net was hauled overboard, but smaller than the one that had been broken. It was easy enough to dodge.

And then he saw Lucy. She'd been cornered at the stern of the ship, an arm hanging limply by her side and her blouse stained with blood. Her sword was gone, but she was holding the small dagger from before, and he suspected that was how she had gotten away in the first place. Five men blocked her way.

They could have long killed her.

That's when he realized - she was their bargaining chip. And more useful than any weapon or net ever would be.

"No!" he called when they advanced, "Don't touch her, you fucking bastards!"

He was met with laughter.

A second later, they dragged her over to the railing, slamming her against it so her upper body bent over. The man who was holding a knife to her throat grinned down at him.

"So how bout you let us catch ourselves a pretty mermaid, and maybe the good ol' Captain will live."

Natsu grit his teeth.

"Don't," she whispered, and the knife drew blood as it scraped along her sensitive skin.

Shit. Of course he would. It was stupid, but if there was even the smallest of chances she would live, he would let them shoot him right then and there.

"Don't fucking touch her," he growled, "Let her go!"

"So we have a deal?"

Curling his fists at his sides, Natsu nodded. He avoided Lucy's face, and the tears streaming down her cheeks.

The net hit the water beside him, and all attention lay on him as he swam towards it.

And then a loud cry filled the air. Natsu watched in shock as a knife dropped into the water, lifting his eyes to see Lucy sink an elbow into the man's face. His hand was dripping in blood, and he was sure a chunk of it had been bitten off as Lucy spit blood.

Retreating to the very back, she pulled out another two knives hidden beneath her skirt. One she flung at an advancing woman, the other remained in her uninjured hand.

Natsu wasn't sure how she was still standing, but if he knew one thing it was that Lucy was incredible.

But still… it was hopeless.

But then he realized what she was about to do.

He realized there was one way out.

Her dagger clattered to the ground, creating a dull sound as it collided with the wood at her feet and rolled downwards and out of her reach. Lucy turned, lifting one foot onto the low railing at her side.

And then, closing her eyes, she jumped.

Natsu forgot about everything else as he darted through the water in a blind panic.

He found her a good way beneath the surface, the force of her impact having propelled her deep down, and with the clothes she was struggling to make it back up.

The moment he wrapped his arms around her, he felt like he could have cried from relief.

He dragged her back up, away from the ship, and she gasped and spluttered when they broke through and she was able to breathe again. They stared at each other in disbelief as they breathed heavily, Lucy lifting a hand to press it against his cheek as fresh tears streamed down her wet face.

And then she kissed him, smiling and crying at the same time.

He was careful as he held her, kissing her back gently, as if she was the most precious thing he had ever held.

She was.

Her lips trembled as she brushed them against his, foreheads leaning together. It took him a moment to realize it was not only because of what had happened: the water was freezing.

And any solid land was hours away.

Slowly, he pulled back, and when he looked into her eyes he knew their thoughts were exactly the same.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, her voice shaking along with her body.

The ship was far enough away now that neither its light nor any gun would be able to reach them.

He ignored her question. He didn't matter.

"Lucy…"

"It's okay," she said, smiling sadly before she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulders. "I want to be with you."

His heart pulled together painfully, as if someone had ripped it from his chest and held it in an iron grip.

He released a shaky breath. One hand came up to stroke along the back of her head. Her hair was damp and ice cold.

They were losing time.

Natsu made a decision.

"Are you scared of depths?" he asked, voice calm and soothing as he held her tightly.

"No," she answered after a moment's consideration. "The only thing I've ever been scared of is shallowness. Superficial people, empty lives void of true love and hopes and dreams, dreadful, boring existences. An average life, an average death. I fear shallow living."

"You won't have to be scared of shallow living with me."

Lucy pulled back. Slowly, a smile spread across her face.

"Then take me away," she whispered before she kissed him again, holding on to his shoulders.

His eyes trailed across her face, hopeful yet serious. When he found not a trace of hesitation, he closed his eyes.

His arms wound around her waist as he brought his lips to her ear.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

And then he pulled them under.

The last thing he heard was her gasp, and then the world went quiet. The shouts of the pirates, the sound of the waves, everything dimmed down and finally vanished.

Lucy was very still in his arms, her eyes wide as they began to sink.

Little bubbles of air escaped her mouth every now and then, but she kept it shut. It did not take long until the first signs of panic showed.

Natsu knew what it felt like. He too had been drowned. And though his memories were fuzzy, he remembered every moment of it. Every feeling.

The shock of being pulled under, the unbearable need for air that took over his body until the impulse to breathe in had become too much, too irresistible. Nothing had mattered anymore but air, to take that saving breath.

He remembered, quite vividly, that he had been surprised that water had filled his lungs when he had finally given in. It was the last thing he remembered.

Then he had awoken at the bottom of the ocean; alone.

She would never, ever be alone. He would make sure of that.

Lucy shook her head in front of him, fingers digging into his shoulders until her nails drew blood. There was more air between them now, a multitude of bubbles that left her lungs as she began to struggle in his grip.

Natsu closed his eyes, holding on tightly as she desperately tried to free herself.

Slowly, they sank deeper.

He didn't want to do this.

Soon, the life would draw out of her. Her movements were already beginning to weaken.

It was a fight she only could lose.

Even if he let go now, he knew, they were too far from the surface for her to reach it in her state. It was too late.

And so he held on, quietly hating himself even if he knew there had never been another way.

These waters were merciless, and cold; she would have died within minutes. It could as well be by his hand. At least this way, she would survive her own death.

Her legs kicked weakly against his tail, and she would have easily drifted away, had he let go. There was no strength left in her body to fight.

Natsu opened his eyes, just in time to meet hers. They were red and hazy, unfocused until they found his. It lasted just for the fraction of a second.

Then she opened her mouth.

Natsu remembered the salty sea water invading his lungs for the first time; he remembered the burn, and then a moment of sudden clarity, as if he really had breathed in fresh air. He remembered the relief.

It had been strangely peaceful.

Lucy looked surprised.

She choked, but he knew there was no use in trying to get the water out.

It was something she would have to get used to.

Instead, he leaned forward and kissed her. He had seen enough of her anguished face. He wanted to see her smiling again. Soon.

It was then that a horrible thought overcame him.

What if he wasn't doing it right?

What if he was killing her? _Really_ killing her, with no way back?

Her lips had turned blue and cold, yet they remained as soft as he remembered. He kissed her harder, trying to ignore the sudden panic that flared up in him.

No light would be able to reach them now. The world around them was fading, one colour after the other, until at last it would be entirely colourless.

Lucy hung limply in his arms, entirely still now. Heavy.

The life he had drained could not be entirely gone. It had to come back.

Over the frantic beating of his own heart, it was impossible to determine if hers made even the faintest of sounds. There had to be something he could do. But there wasn't.

All he could do was wait for her lifeless body to reclaim what he had stolen.

He had to go deeper. Wait just a little longer.

And so it came as it always did: the mermaid lured the pirate into the sea.

Always down, down, down...

 _the end_

* * *

 _That was it! I hope you liked it! B)_

 _ **There will not be a contination.** I've said this a million times on tumblr now haha. The open ending is deliberate,so feel free to imagine whatever you want to!_

 _Special thanks to all the amazng reviewers! I'd be psyched if we could get this to at least 100. :3_

 **BitterSweetTeas Lulu Heartfilia Searching aliciandavis2004 .3 misssbehavin FireDragonPhia iamthewerepire Twishadowhunter aliciandavis2004 Animeweaboo BatheMeInSprinkles Phiafairy guest account Gizmoleaf subtle-memoriess Angela-the-neko Yuyui Hime animika123NaLuFTfanatic Saints-Fan-12 and some wonderful guests!**


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